Nathaniel Wright, 24, was charged with misdemeanor escape after leaving a work release program May 16, as described in an article in Wednesday’s Moultrie Observer.

Wright’s fiance, Marcellus Neal, told The Observer Wednesday that the two of them sought treatment for an infection that Wright had that wasn’t being addressed by jail personnel.

Neal said they went to the emergency room at Colquitt Regional Medical Center but were told the wait would be two to four hours, so they went to Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany, where they expected to be seen more quickly.

Sheriff’s Lt. Hope Davis agreed that Wright had sought medical treatment in Albany during the time he was absent, but she said he hadn’t been given permission by anyone at the sheriff’s office to do so.

Neal said they were in touch with jail officials throughout the incident, and he said he took Wright to the jail when they returned to Moultrie. He said The Observer story implied officers had had to hunt him down.

Davis neither confirmed nor denied any of those statements. She did, however, confirm Wright is still charged with misdemeanor escape.